Doctor using advanced technology to treat prostate cancer

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Cancer impacts hundreds of thousands of people each year. The CDC estimated from 2010 to 2020 there will be an increase in some cancers. One of those is prostate cancer.

The American Cancer Society states that about one in seven men will get prostate cancer at some point in their life.

A doctor in Indianapolis has been using advanced technology to treat his prostate cancer patients.

It is called HIFU and short for high intensity focused ultrasound. It was approved by the FDA to be used in the U.S. back in 2015.

HIFU focuses high energy ultrasound to a certain area to destory that area of tissue. It is similar to the way a magnifying glass would be used to focus sunlight to heat an area.

It is an outpatient procedure that usually only takes a couple of hours.

“There is less morbidity, patients recover quicker, it’s an out-patient procedure instead of a two-day hospitalization, and guys tend to maintain their erectile function better with the HIFU than surgery,” said urologist David Hollensbe with Urology of Indiana.

Hollensbe expects to treat 10-15 patients using the HIFU method this year.

Other methods used to treat prostate cancer are radiation and surgically removing the prostate altogether.

Sherman Whitfield had the HIFU procedure done a couple months ago and had good results.

“In the back of my mind I’m waiting on the pain, I knew it’s gotta be there. It never showed up. The pain never showed up. It’s just amazing,” said Whitfield.

He is an advocate for his health and said all men should get their yearly physical.

“Get your yearly physical. The fact that I was getting my annual physicals is the reason they were able to find it and find it so early and take care of it. We got to get away from that macho attitude. Ah I’m fine, I don’t need to go get a physical, nothing is hurting. No, no macho attitude is the wrong attitude to have. We need to take care of our bodies,” Whitfield added.

Dr. Hollensbe said when men get their yearly physical, they should ask for a PSA test.